St. Jude Children’s Hospital treatment, referrals, doctors, costs, housing and patient information
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is located at 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105. It is a highly specialized pediatric research hospital focused on childhood cancer, blood disorders, certain neurological and infectious diseases, inherited cancer-predisposition conditions and other catastrophic childhood diseases.
St. Jude is not a general children’s hospital. A child cannot simply book an ordinary pediatric appointment or walk in as a new patient. Most new patients must have a disease St. Jude treats, meet applicable clinical criteria and be referred by a physician or other qualified medical professional.
For patients accepted by St. Jude, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. If insurance is available, St. Jude may bill the insurer, but families are not asked to pay St. Jude copays or deductibles.
Memphis, TN 38105
General patient and hospital questions.
Main local switchboard.
Local: 901-595-4055.
First stop for accepted patients arriving on campus.
For active St. Jude patients with unexpected acute problems.
Start here: what do you need from St. Jude?
Who can be treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital?
St. Jude acceptance is based on disease, age and clinical criteria—not on a family’s ability to pay.
Conditions St. Jude may accept
Childhood cancers
Leukemia, lymphoma, brain/spine tumors and selected solid tumors.
Blood disorders
Including sickle cell disease and selected non-cancerous blood disorders.
Bone marrow / cellular therapy
Selected malignant and non-malignant disorders requiring transplant, gene or cell therapy.
HIV & infectious disease
Selected serious pediatric infectious diseases and HIV-related care/research.
Neurological disorders
Certain rare neurological diseases included in St. Jude research programs.
Cancer predisposition
Inherited genetic conditions that raise a child’s risk of developing cancer.
Clinical trial eligibility
Most patients are accepted because they can enroll in an open St. Jude clinical trial. Eligibility can depend on:
- Age
- Exact diagnosis
- Disease subtype
- Disease stage
- Previous treatment
- Other medical criteria in the study protocol
General age criteria
For most diseases and treatments, St. Jude accepts patients age 21 or younger at the time of acceptance. Specific programs have different limits.
| Program example | Published acceptance age example |
|---|---|
| Most diseases / treatments | Generally age 21 or younger |
| ALL and certain childhood leukemias | Some criteria use age 18 or younger |
| Non-cancerous blood disorders | Some criteria use age 18 or younger |
| Inherited cancer-predisposition conditions | Some criteria use age 18 or younger |
| Certain solid tumors / brain tumors / surgery / radiation oncology | Some programs may accept through age 25 |
Families living near Memphis
St. Jude states that some patients living within 180 miles of Memphis may be accepted even when they are not eligible for an open clinical trial, depending on the disease and program.
How to get referred to St. Jude
Every accepted patient must be referred by a physician or other qualified medical professional.
Referral contact details
Local: 901-595-4055
Fax: 901-595-4011
Email: referralinfo@stjude.org
24-hour pager: 1-800-349-4334
Appointments, registration and what happens on the first visit
Patient Registration
Accepted patients start at Patient Registration on the first floor of the Patient Care Center, near the main lobby.
Patient Registration phone: 901-595-2010.
Typical outpatient day
St. Jude doctors and major pediatric treatment teams
St. Jude uses multidisciplinary disease teams. A patient may see several specialists during one treatment course rather than relying on a single office-based pediatrician.
Clinical leadership
| Physician | Current role / specialty |
|---|---|
| Ellis J. Neufeld, MD, PhD | Clinical Director and Physician-in-Chief; non-malignant hematology |
| Amar Gajjar, MD | Chair, Department of Pediatric Medicine; brain tumor specialist |
| Charles W. M. Roberts, MD, PhD | Director, St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center |
| Mitchell J. Weiss, MD, PhD | Chair, Department of Hematology |
| Stephen Gottschalk, MD | Chair, Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy |
| Octavio Ramilo, MD | Chair, Department of Infectious Diseases |
Leukemia and lymphoma specialists
- Sarah Elitzur, MD — Director, Leukemia/Lymphoma Division
- Hiroto Inaba, MD, PhD — Leukemia/Lymphoma; Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Director
- Sima Jeha, MD — Leukemia/Lymphoma; relapsed/refractory leukemia and developmental therapeutics
Brain and spine tumor team
- Giles W. Robinson, MD — Director, Neuro-Oncology Division
- Amar Gajjar, MD — Pediatric brain tumor treatment and research
- Greg Armstrong, MD, MSCE — Neuro-oncology and survivorship
- Aditi Bagchi, MD, PhD — Pediatric neuro-oncology
- Emily Hanzlik, MD — Neuro-oncology and neurological complications of cancer
- Ibrahim Qaddoumi, MD, MS — Low-grade glioma and retinoblastoma
- Thomas E. Merchant, DO, PhD — Radiation Oncology
Solid tumor team
Sara M. Federico, MD is Director of the Solid Tumor Division. The multidisciplinary service treats pediatric tumors involving bone, soft tissue and organs and participates heavily in clinical research.
Bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy
- Stephen Gottschalk, MD — Department Chair
- Gary Douglas Myers, MD — Clinical Chief
- Brandon Triplett, MD — Deputy Clinical Director; transplant specialist
- Aimee Talleur, MD — Transplant and cellular therapy
- Swati Naik, MBBS — Cellular therapy / hematologic malignancies
- Akshay Sharma, MBBS, MSc — Gene therapy and transplant for non-malignant blood disorders
- Rebecca Epperly, MD — Cellular immunotherapy
- Amr Qudeimat, MD — Bone marrow failure transplant care
Major St. Jude treatments, clinics and services
Leukemia & Lymphoma
ALL, AML, lymphoma, relapsed and refractory blood cancers.
Brain & Spine Tumors
Medulloblastoma, glioma and other pediatric CNS tumors.
Solid Tumors
Sarcoma and selected pediatric cancers of bone, soft tissue and organs.
Bone Marrow Transplant
Allogeneic/autologous transplant and cellular therapies.
CAR T & Cell Therapy
Research and treatment using engineered immune-cell approaches.
Gene Therapy
Selected inherited and non-malignant hematologic diseases.
Sickle Cell Disease
Specialized pediatric sickle-cell treatment and research.
Radiation Oncology
Highly specialized pediatric radiation treatment.
Surgery
Pediatric oncology and disease-specific surgical procedures.
Critical Care
Specialized intensive care for oncology, transplant and catastrophic illness.
Imaging
MRI, CT, PET and disease-specific diagnostic imaging.
Pathology & Laboratory
Specialized diagnostic testing integrated with research and treatment.
Clinical Nutrition
Nutrition support during cancer and catastrophic-disease treatment.
Rehabilitation
Physical, occupational, speech and other rehabilitation services.
Survivorship
Long-term follow-up and research into late effects of childhood cancer treatment.
St. Jude urgent care, Acute Care Clinic and after-hours help
Acute Care Clinic hours
When you call after hours
Have this information ready:
- Patient hospital ID / medical record number
- Current medical problem
- When symptoms started
- Fever or infection symptoms
- Pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Neurological symptoms
- Any other change the treatment team asked you to report
How much does treatment at St. Jude cost families?
This is one of the most important differences between St. Jude and most hospitals.
Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.
| St. Jude service | Family billed by St. Jude? |
|---|---|
| Doctor / specialist visits | No |
| Cancer treatment | No |
| Chemotherapy | No |
| Radiation treatment | No |
| Surgery | No |
| Hospitalization | No |
| St. Jude prescriptions | No family bill from St. Jude |
| Eligible travel to St. Jude | No family bill from St. Jude |
| Eligible St. Jude housing | No family bill from St. Jude |
| St. Jude meal support | No family bill from St. Jude |
What if the child has insurance?
St. Jude may bill the insurance company when a patient has coverage. The family is still not asked to pay St. Jude a copay or deductible.
What is the St. Jude ER fee?
There is no St. Jude public ER fee because St. Jude does not operate a public emergency department. An active patient receiving St. Jude Acute Care Clinic treatment is covered through the St. Jude treatment model.
Travel assistance to St. Jude in Memphis
St. Jude states that families do not receive a bill from St. Jude for eligible travel associated with treatment.
Travel may involve:
- Air travel
- Bus
- Rail
- Car travel
- Local St. Jude shuttle transportation
Meals, travel and lodging coordination.
Shuttles
St. Jude operates shuttle transportation for patients and families staying in St. Jude housing. Current shuttle times can be viewed in the Our St. Jude patient app.
Free St. Jude housing for patient families
Families traveling for treatment may receive free housing when criteria are met. St. Jude states that families living more than 35 miles from the hospital may be assigned housing when an overnight stay is needed.
Tri Delta Place
Short-term lodging with 64 hotel-style rooms and 36 suites.
The Domino’s Village
Short- and long-term housing with 140 units, including suites and apartments.
Target House
Long-term apartment-style housing for qualifying patient families.
Ronald McDonald House
Another St. Jude-supported housing option for eligible families.
Housing cost
$0 charged by St. Jude to eligible patient families.
Reservations
Housing is assigned according to treatment schedule, medical need and availability.
Caregiver requirement
A patient receiving treatment and staying in St. Jude-sponsored housing must generally have an adult caregiver staying with them, regardless of the patient’s age.
Adult patients receiving only a check-up may have different rules. Patients undergoing sedation or anesthesia must have another adult available at discharge.
Patient Services hours
Patient Services: 901-595-4501.
St. Jude parking, valet and campus arrival
Free valet parking
Monday–Friday:
5:30 a.m.–11 p.m.
Drop-off and pickup:
Patient Care Center Circle Drive.
Self-parking
Patient families may also self-park on campus. A parking tag is required.
Security help
Security officers are on campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Security: 901-595-4444.
Security call stations in parking areas can also be used for vehicle trouble, an escort after dark or another safety concern.
Visitor policy, ID badges and inpatient-room rules
St. Jude is a secure, gated medical/research campus. Visitors must be approved and campus access is controlled to protect highly immunocompromised patients.
Patient and family ID badges
St. Jude issues identification badges to patients and family members. Badges may be used to:
- Identify patients and approved family members
- Enter appropriate patient-care areas
- Access assigned housing
- Use meal accounts
- Access certain elevators and doors
Inpatient room / ICU limit
Current St. Jude guidance limits inpatient-room and ICU occupancy to no more than three visitors/support people at a time, including parents and siblings.
Ill visitors
People with an illness that could spread to other patients may not be permitted to visit hospitalized children. Additional infection-control precautions apply in transplant and other highly immunocompromised units.
Children and siblings
Children and siblings must be supervised at all times. St. Jude specifically advises families to bring another responsible adult if a sibling will be present while the patient is receiving care.
Weapons
Weapons are prohibited on campus, in St. Jude housing and in vehicles on campus, except for on-duty law-enforcement officers.
Public tours
St. Jude currently does not offer general in-person public tours. A virtual hospital tour is available online.
Food, Kay Kafe and patient meal support
St. Jude provides meal support so treatment-related food costs do not become another burden for eligible patient families.
Kay Kafe
Kay Kafe is the main hospital cafeteria in the Richard C. Shadyac ALSAC Tower.
Food Services: 901-595-3000.
Outpatient snack bags
Kay Kafe provides free snack bags for outpatients.
Meal accounts
St. Jude provides cafeteria meal accounts to eligible patients and caregivers based on the patient’s appointment schedule.
Room service
Room Service: 901-595-3000.
Clinical Nutrition
Families with allergies, religious food restrictions or treatment-related nutrition needs can work with the Clinical Nutrition team.
Clinical Nutrition: 901-595-3318.
St. Jude Patient Pharmacy hours and medication help
Toll-free: 866-820-2442
Behind Patient Registration.
Who can use the pharmacy?
The St. Jude Patient Pharmacy is for St. Jude patients. It does not fill medications for caregivers or other family members.
Pharmacy reimbursement help
Pharmacy reimbursement specialists can help patients understand insurance benefits and locate medication-assistance programs when needed.
Published availability: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. through 901-595-4166.
Child Life, social work, interpreters, school and family support
Procedure preparation, coping and developmental support.
Emotional, practical and family-resource support.
Language assistance is provided without charge.
Help with practical everyday tasks.
Child Life
Child Life specialists help patients understand procedures, cope with treatment, reduce anxiety and maintain age-appropriate play and development.
St. Jude School Program
St. Jude maintains an on-site school program so school-age patients can continue educational work and coordinate with their home school during lengthy treatment.
Family Commons
Family Commons is a 45,000-square-foot patient/family space on the second floor of the Patient Care Center with areas for relaxing, learning, activities and connecting with other family resources.
Interpreter and accessibility services
Language-assistance services are available without charge. Families can also call the main hospital at 866-278-5833; TTY access is available through 711.
How to get St. Jude medical records
Health Information Management
Fax: 901-595-6300
Email: ISCIHIMSROI@stjude.org
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Health Information Management Department
262 Danny Thomas Place, BP046
Memphis, TN 38105
Office hours
What is normally required?
- Completed authorization/request form
- Patient information
- Records/date range requested
- Recipient information
- Patient ID when patient is over 18
- Guardian ID when patient is under 18
- Signature and date
MyChart records
Patients and families can also view portions of the medical record and submit record requests through St. Jude MyChart.
St. Jude MyChart and Our St. Jude patient app
St. Jude MyChart can show
Our St. Jude app
The Our St. Jude app uses the same username and password as MyChart and adds practical campus features such as:
- Daily appointment schedule
- Walking directions around campus
- Care-team contact information
- Travel arrangements
- Housing reservations
- Shuttle tracker
- Kay Kafe menu
- Campus news and notifications
- Patient/family education
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital phone directory
| Department / need | Phone |
|---|---|
| Main toll-free hospital line | 866-278-5833 |
| Memphis switchboard | 901-595-3300 |
| Physician / Patient Referral Office | 888-226-4343 |
| Local Referral Office | 901-595-4055 |
| Brain Tumor referral team | 901-595-2544 |
| Patient Registration | 901-595-2010 |
| Acute Care / Infusion Center | 901-595-2441 |
| Travel Office | 901-595-5000 |
| Patient Services — meals/travel/lodging | 901-595-4501 |
| Patient Pharmacy | 901-595-4166 |
| Pharmacy toll-free | 866-820-2442 |
| Health Information Management | 901-595-3680 |
| MyChart HelpLine | 901-595-4636 |
| Child Life Office | 901-595-3020 |
| Clinical Nutrition | 901-595-3318 |
| Interpreter Services | 901-595-2983 |
| Social Work | 901-595-3670 |
| Patient/Parent HelpLine | 901-595-2999 |
| Concierge Services | 901-595-4000 |
| Security | 901-595-4444 |
| Food Services / Room Service | 901-595-3000 |
| Sickle Cell Program | 901-595-5041 |
| Blood Donor Center | 901-595-2024 |
| Message Center | 901-595-2305 |
Before your first St. Jude trip: family checklist
Before traveling
- Confirm that St. Jude has accepted the patient.
- Do not travel based only on an online referral form submission.
- Confirm arrival date and registration instructions.
- Confirm travel arrangements with the Travel Office.
- Confirm housing with Patient Services.
- Bring identification documents requested by St. Jude.
- Bring the child’s current medication list.
- Bring caregiver medications from home.
Once on campus
- Check in through the gated campus entrance.
- Go to Patient Registration first when instructed.
- Keep the patient ID armband on during the hospital day.
- Wear patient/family ID badges.
- Check the Our St. Jude app for schedule changes.
- Ask before bringing a sick visitor to campus.
- Keep children/siblings supervised.
- Save 901-595-2441 for urgent active-patient questions.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital address and Google map
Memphis, TN 38105
Main hospital: 866-278-5833
Local switchboard: 901-595-3300
St. Jude Children’s Hospital FAQs
1. Where is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital?
2. Can any child make an appointment at St. Jude?
3. How do I get my child referred to St. Jude?
4. Does St. Jude have an emergency room?
5. How much does treatment at St. Jude cost families?
6. Does St. Jude pay for travel and housing?
7. Is parking free at St. Jude?
8. What are the St. Jude Patient Pharmacy hours?
9. How do I get my child’s St. Jude medical records?
10. How many visitors can be in a St. Jude inpatient room?
Official St. Jude resources used for this guide
This article summarizes practical information from current St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital patient, treatment, referral, pharmacy, security, housing, medical-record and treatment-team resources. The official links below are included primarily for referrals, live clinical-trial criteria, forms and information that can change after publication.
- St. Jude contact information
- Patient referrals and eligibility
- How to refer a patient
- Acute Care Clinic and after-hours care
- New-patient registration information
- What St. Jude pays for
- St. Jude patient housing
- Parking, visitors and campus security
- Kay Kafe and meal information
- St. Jude Patient Pharmacy
- Important St. Jude phone numbers
- Current Oncology faculty
- Bone Marrow Transplantation & Cellular Therapy team